The present invention relates to a printing system including a plurality of different kinds of printers connected to each other, and a printer selecting device therefor.
It has been customary to arrange a printer and a scanner or similar image data supply device in a pair. In a digital copier, for example, while a scanner or image data supply device reads a document image, a printer electrophotographically prints out image data representative of the document image and output from the scanner. A facsimile apparatus with a data sending and transmitting capability is constructed in substantially the same manner as the digital copier. Also, a stencil printer is similar to the digital copier except that the printer uses a stencil. A laser printer or similar electrophotographic printer may be connected to a word processor, personal computer or similar image data supply device which outputs image data in the form of an electronic document. An image scanner may be connected to such a printer via, e.g., a personal computer.
There has recently been proposed and put to practical use a printing system including the above image data supply devices and printers distributed on a network, e.g., LAN. This printing system allows the image data supply devices to share the printers and is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 4-153814, 7-214872 and 9-330190. In a specific printing system, a plurality of image data supply devices share a single printer or a plurality of printers of the same kind, e.g., laser printers. In another specific printing system, a plurality of image data supply devices share a plurality of printers different in kind or performance, e.g., a laser printer, a digital copier, and a stencil printer. The system including different kinds of printers allows the operator to select desired one of the printers and thereby makes the most of the advantage of the individual printer. A laser printer, for example, enhances image quality while a stencil printer reduces the printing cost when a great number of printings are desired.
However, the problem with the conventional printing systems is that although the printers are selectable, it is difficult and troublesome for the operator to determine which printer is adequate at the time of printing. More specifically, although the printers in the network environment are selectable, the reference for selection depends merely on the operator's knowledge and experience. This prevents a person lacking the knowledge of printers from selecting an adequate printer and thereby prevents the advantage of the individual printer from being made most of.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 6-274292, 7-261953 and 10-55255.